Thursday, April 26, 2012

8406

That is how many orphans there are in Oklahoma.

Right now.

I was okay with this number, until I put faces with the number. Then it became not just a number. But a sweet, innocent child, that only wants love. We introduced two in our homes for a short time over Easter and we are forever grateful that we did.

We immediately started paperwork to start the foster/adopt process. We were warned it would be a long process which can be disheartening, but then we think of those innocent faces (one of which is our child) and we continue to push on.

On our flight home from Boston, we got a call from DHS asking for our help. They said that the shelters were so overcrowded that they were about to be shut down by the fire marshall.

So many children were in DHS custody that all the beds were taken and the rooms were over capacity. There were 60 toddlers and babies in the TULSA shelter alone.

They asked us if we would be willing to take a child from Thursday evening until Sunday night while they found placements for the children.   We aren't certified, but that's how badly they needed emergency homes. Of course, we agreed and we took home a beautiful 3 year old girl.

She looked like Goldilocks with her blonde hair that naturally curled on the ends. Her baby blue eyes were crystal clear and her laugh was contagious. She looked like any other normal 3 year old, except her baby blue eyes showed her sadness and fear.


When we read in the papers that there are not enough DHS workers to complete the appropriate paperwork in a reasonable time for all of the families that want to HELP and foster and/or adopt it's discouraging.
Then we meet another child that needs our help and we know that we are fighting the good fight and we will fight for the long haul.

So we march on. We completed all our paperwork and did our background checks (I called/emailed every day to make sure we didn't "fall through the cracks"...I don't care about being the annoying lady). We were approved and so we completed our next step by getting our fingerprints done at the Sheriff's office.

Izzy is a lot of help at the sheriffs office

We are set up to start our month long classes to educate ourselves on what to expect and we should be expecting a call from a worker to schedule our home visits.
The home visits could be a bit tricky, since we are planning on moving soon.

There are obstacles, but we know that just shows that what we are doing is right.

I just finished a Beth Moore study on the Book of James. It changed my life. Most likely, I am going to be the first woman to ever say these words but...I am not a HUGE fan of Beth Moore. I love her studies and I love her on paper but I don't just jump up and down to hear her speak. Maybe, I'm just a weirdo and I hate being calling, "girlfriend"...okay, I'm a weirdo.
One of the things she said that I constantly am reminding myself through this process is,

"We will miss the greatest adventures of our calling if we remain compelled by comfort. We will be bored stiff and wonder why God never called us to anything. How willing are we to just flat out GO for God? And it is important to remember that in order to go anywhere, we first have to leave someplace else (usually that means our safe place, our comfort zone). If we choose comfort to motivate us we will risk our callings....because this I can promise you--your calling will always be WAY outside your comfort. God is a whole lot more interested in your calling than your comfort."-Beth Moore

I am glad that I am being called out of my comfort zone. I hate leaving the shelter in tears. I hate saying goodbye to children that I can't promise I'll see again. I hate explaining why we have to bring them back. I hate hearing my daughter ask where they are and me not be able to give a response.
But I know that this is what God is calling us to do.
So we will continue to fight the good fight.


James 1:27

5 comments:

momFITtingitallin said...

U an dur family are amazing!!!!
Can't wait to see you thru this journey!

Laura said...

I'm so excited for you guys as you start this journey!

Katie said...

You guys are so amazing. Most people, sadly me, would probably be sad about it for a minute and then move on. You're actually doing something, and I commend you for it! Next time I notice something I'm going to think of you and make an effort to actually do something about it.

Erin said...

Your strength, faith and perseverance continue to encourage me! Soon a child will be beyond blessed to call your house their home and your family their family!

ps my blog has moved! We've finally finished the transition and Confessions of a Magnolia Mom is now The View From 510! I hope you'll add our new domain to your feed and continue to follow along :) www.theviewfromfiveten.com

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